This Could (Finally) Change Your Catch

The movement of the catch in your freestyle is a weird one. It's a bit unnatural and can take some specific drills to correct it. One thing that's common across all good swimmers though, is their upper arm and elbow do THIS when getting the catch.
Take 5 Seconds Off Your 100m Pace (5 Day Catch Challenge):
effortlessswimming.com/5-day-...

[@magrino5515]

Brenton this is a gem of a little video. I have always been a fan of your channel and there was a video in the past with "Magic words". It is unfortunate that "point your elbow to the side of the pool" was not in that video, and that I only discovered this today.... This is what made everything instantly fall into place for me. I have been swimming in what I call terminal mediocrity zone, where doing repeats on 400m I would reach the wall at 5:50 leave on 6 mins already gasping. I knew I was pulling too deep, but could not quite find a way to fix it. Today I just focused on "pointing my elbow to the side of the pool" and bang. 400 reaching at 5:30/5:35, finally some rest in between sets! I cannot quite understand if it makes the pull itself more effective, it suddenly feels stronger, or if it lowers drag because the body no longer has that snaking effect, and the body itself feels straighter more hydrodynamic. Probably both.

[@egillgylfason]

In general the ES videos are good fun and most often with great tips, but then there are some that just change things. This is one of those. I've gone through the 5day challenge and it was good and emphasized some of the techniques I've tried to hold on to, but there was something missing. Since I saw this video I've been focusing on pulling my elbow up and out and something just clicked! The pace of 1.45/100m used to be- somewhat difficult and 400m's was a hard task at that pace. Today, I did 400m three times - 6.43, 6.22 (1sec from PB) and 6.55 in cooldown mode trying to go long and smooth in each stroke. Seriously mate, this video was a game changer for me!

[@notmyrealname6272]

Ahhh yes-you’ve said it right there “up and out”. I find this so hard to visualise. (When I’m swimming)

[@wm811]

I fully agree. 5days catch challenge took me ca 5-6 secs, but what is more impressive, i do 250m without any problem, so smoothly in comparison to before. I used to swim, but with many errors, dragging like hell, and dropping elbows. Thanks guys for guidance!

[@oliverc1293]

Just a suggestion for your excellent videos, if I may: after you have explained everything, it would be great if you could just leave the footage playing so we can analyse the good technique with your comments in mind. I went back to the start, but it's a very short clip! Thanks.

[@EffortlessSwimming]

Noted, thanks Oliver

[@alfonsomariscal6689]

Very illustrative. Many thanks!

[@dcoughman]

This video is short and to the point. It is a gem. I am thinking that your point about keeping the upper arm in line with the back is very similar to what Gennadi and Alex Popov refer to as the kayak effect. Anyway, you have helped me, thanks!

[@UselessHumanBeing]

100% exactly what I've been wondering. thanks :D

[@nboisen]

Very interesting. I knew about the "power diamond" but didn't realize that the curve in the elbow should start from the beginning of the catch. I tried this out today and reduced achieved significant gain in distance per stroke. Thanks!

[@martincook6699]

"medial rotation of the upper arm is an important action" page 56 of The Science of Swimming James e Counsilman. This helps me a lot.

[@Gaurav.P0]

From where I can download James Counsilman book ??

[@robohippy]

Well, with my over arm side stroke, I see everything in the pool. I have noticed a couple of differences in the elbow bend. Some go to the outside like the one clip you have up above, and some, the elbow stays close to straight down, and the palm and hand come in closer to the body center line. I have played with both, and can't really tell any difference. Any comment???

[@notmyrealname6272]

Do you think of the upper arm as coming up to the surface more as well? If your shoulder is dropped when you are rotated and fully stretched out to the front and then you rotate back to square for the most powerful bit are you pulling the elbow and upper arm up to shallower in the water? Also if your shoulder is pulled right out in the glide when exactly do you think of it going back into good posture/engaging lats etc? I feel like if I could really visualise what was meant to be going on here it would help such a lot. Thanks a million for this and all the videos. Fabulous.

[@SuperOCHomes]

is there a dry land exercise with bands that can replicate this action?

[@sherrismith4754]

I started swimming laps three months ago. I have psoriatic arthritis so difficult to do any weights or most exercises. I have had hip pain on one side for the last month. I found out I have a tfl muscle injury. Any advice on how not to inflame it or ever get it when I start swimming again.

[@robweinberg9396]

pointing the elbow to the side really helps

[@33Jenesis]

If my catch was bad, I feel like I wasn’t moving forward (less propulsion). When catch feels good, it was like a hot knife cutting into butter. I go by a lot of how I feel to catch bad moves.

[@flip7194]

Bruh moment when I find out yesterday that I have snapping triceps syndrome. I now have to say goodbye to high elbow catches...

[@visionaryr]

This is exactly like Sheila Taormina's technique. 90 degree.

[@tomatomb8704]

I can't see the difference but can't see the difference in the pool. Both have the elbow higher than the arm so both are using the forearm to pull. Isn't the water more dense when it gets deeper meaning you'd get more resistance and a better catch?

[@pf6797]

It’s hard to feel the difference by feel, while swimming. I bet I drop my elbow and don’t get my shoulders turned enough.

[@ioannisaliazis]

I think the worse catch actually strains the shoulder a bit more, no? I have a bit of a supraspinatus issue and when I get a good catch it feels like there’s more support there and less strain on it 😊

[@Jono01]

I was having a lot of shoulder pain and when I videoed my stroke, I was shocked to see how straight my arm was through the catch. Now I really focus on getting the elbow out to the side and arm bent through the catch and it feels so much easier on the shoulder.

[@ioannisaliazis]

@@Jono01 samesies, I might even have fucked my supraspinatus from bad technique swimming. Now I know better thanks to Brenton 😅💪🏼

[@ZIlberbot]

👍 👍

[@EXPLORADVEN]

👍👍👍

[@clarionthechronicle7268]

Why are the thumbs sticking out?

[@mambarumba5816]

👍👍👍👌👌👌

[@hamidious]

Why is this important? I can't do this since my shoulders are not that flexible. So how important is this?

[@ayw5118]

swim bilaterally with a six beat kick. unilateral with a 4. attempted 2bk never succeeded

[@sleepdeprivedraccoon649]

The claim of taking off 5 seconds for a 100 free is quite outrageous. For an example of I where to take off 5 seconds I would be setting national records for my age group

[@houtansadeghi]

Dear effortless swimming. Thank you. If I underhand it correctly you mean a ninety degree elbow rather than a 120 + degree. That’s what I am trying to do. I was taught to touch my chest which makes it much less than 90 degree. However why Katie ledecky uses a 90 degree right arm and a 120 left arm. kzbin.infosIfYt1yZi4g?feature=share